Tubular carton

ABSTRACT

A paperboard tubular carton has circular end closures stapled within both ends of its tubular wall. The staples are engaged through outwardly bent tabs spaced about the periphery of the closures. Adequate security is provided by at least three spaced tabs on each closure. The ends of the tubular wall are reinforced by one or more folds, which may also provide a closure-supporting ledge. The lid has segments around two or more of the staples delineated for severance from the main portion of the lid, which is swung outwardly about the hinge provided by the remaining staple or staples to provide recloseable access to the contents of the carton. Carrying finger holes are provided in the lid within one of the severable segments.

United States Patent 1191 Reisman Mar. 11, 1975 [5 TUBULAR CARTON 3,313,333 4/1967 Lordi 150/05 [76] lnventor: Howard Reisman, c/o J. Reisman &

Sons, R 138 pennsauken N L Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assistant E.\'aminerBruce H. Bernstein [22] F'led: 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Connolly and Hutz [21] Appl. No.: 328,479

Related U.S. Application Data ABSTRACT contiflufltiomimpflrt 0f 2 4 A paperboard tubular carton has circular end closures 1972 N9 31820865- stapled within both ends of its tubular wall. The stav ples are engaged through outwardly bent tabs spaced [52] U.S. Cl. 229/45, 229/57 about the periphery of the closures. Adequate security [5 Int. is provided at least three spaced tabs on each (:10. [58] Field of Search 229/55. 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, Sure The ends f the tubular n are i f d by 229/4-5 one or more folds, which may also provide a closuresupporting ledge. The lid has segments around two or 1 References Cited more of the staples delineated for severance from the UNITED STATES PATENTS main portion of the lid, which is swung outwardly 1,119,085 12/1914 Koff 1 1 229 5.5 about the hinge Provided y the remaining Staple or 1504898 8/1924 P0mer0y.. 229/5] staples to provide recloseable access to the contents of 1,874,706 8/1932 Nutting 229/5.7 the carton. Carrying finger holes are provided in the 27 3/1938 Anne" a 229/57 lid within one of the severable segments. 3185.578 5/1965 Scharre 229/51 D 3245576 4/l966 Gricse, Jr 220/53 14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures TUBULAR CARTON CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of copending application, Ser. No. 302,264, filed Oct. 30, 1972, now US. Pat. No. 3,820,865, by this same inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tubular containers of fairly stiff flexible sheet material, such as thin paperboard, are widely used for packaging bagged snack food articles, such as pretzels and potato chips. Such packaged foods are highly competitive and economy of packaging is critically important. The packaging must, however, withstand normal handling and should deter pilferage or replacement of its contents. An object of this invention is to provide a simple and economical tubular carton for packaging light articles. Another object is to provide such a carton which is substantially resistant to normal shock and handling and which prevents pilferage or replacement of its contents.

SUMMARY A paperboard tubular carton has end closures fastened within both ends of tubular wall. Staples, for example, are engaged through bent tabs spaced about the periphery of the closures. Adequate security is provided by at least three spaced tabs on each closure. The ends of the tubular Wall may be reinforced by one or more folds which may also provide a closuresupporting ledge. The lid has segments about two or more of the staples delineated for severance from the main portion of the lid, which is swung outwardly about the hinge provided by the remaining staple or staples to provide recloseable access to the contents of the carton. Carrying finger holes may be provided in the lid or bottom, such as within one of the severable segments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan developed view of the lid shown in FIG. 1 with unbent tabs;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 2 along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the upper lefthand corner of FIG. 3 with the severed section of the lid swung inwardly;

FIG. 5 is a crosssectional view taken through FIG. 1 along the line 5-5 with the main severed portion of the lid swung upwardly; and

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of modification of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5 having an exposed fold in the end of the tubular wall.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. l-S is shown a tubular carton 10 of fairly stiff flexible sheet material, such as, light paperboard (0.020 inch thick), suitable for packaging a bagged snack food product, such as pretzels or potato chips.

.Carton 10 includes end closures 12 and 13 inserted within endsl4 of tubular wall 16. End closures I2 and 13 are, for example, of somewhat heavier paperboard which is 0.060 inch thick. End closure 12 is the lid and end closure 13 is the bottom of carton 10.

The developed plan of lid 12 is shown in FIG. 2. It includes 3 equidistantly peripherally spaced tabs 18 for securing it within tubular wall 16 as later described. Lid 12 also includes perforated arcs 20 about two of tabs 18 to facilitate severing of arcuate segments 22 and 24 from the main portion 26 of lid 12 as later described. A pair of finger holes 29 are provided in segment 22 to facilitate carrying carton 10 without requiring any special handles. Bottom 13 is the same as lid 12 except for the omission of perforated lines 20, segments 22 and 24 and finger holes 29.

FIG. 3 shows lid 12 and bottom 13 inserted within ends 14 of tubular wall 16 to close it. Wall ends 14 are reinforced by an inward double fold 28. Tabs 18 of closures l2 and 13 are bent outwardly as the closures are inserted within ends 14 and their double folds 28. Staples 30 secure tabs 18 within folds 28 to ends 14 of tubular wall 16. At least one of staples 30 is secured to a line about which tubular wall 16 is folded flat for shipment and storage to maintain it substantially round and to prevent it from bowing outwardly at the crease caused by its previous folding. A staple on each crease insures roundness.

The stapling of closures 12 and 13 provides carton which is resistant to approval handling and shock and which prevents pilferage or replacement of the contents of carton 10 with more expensive goods in a supermarket. FIG. 3 shows bag 31, for example, of polyethylene within which the contents (not shown) of carton 10 are packed to preserve them during storage. Food products such as pretzels and potato chips are thus maintained fresh over extended shelf life even though carton 10 is not air tight.

Carton 10 is opened for use by severing main portion 26 of lid 12 from segments 22 and 24 by breaking perforated lines 20. FIG. 4 shows how segment 22 is pushed inwardly around the hinge provided by staple 30 with or without the aid of finger holes 29. Segment 24 is similarly severed and pushed inwardly.

FIG. 5 shows how main portion 26 of lid 12 is swung upwardly and outwardly about staple 30 to provide access to bag 31 and its contents. Main portion 26 may be rotated back to substantially reclose carton 10 after each use. This also helps support the opened carton.

FIG. 6 shows an exposed half-fold 32A of tubular wall 16 which provides a shoulder. or ledge 34A below lid 12A to support it originally and when it is rotated back in position within end 14 of tubular wall 16. Any other convenient projection means may be also used to provide a supporting surface.

Cartons 10 may be constructed and arranged to stack within each other by tapering them to have a smaller top or bottom. With a larger top the bottoms nest within the tops of the cartons below to nest the cartons within each other in a substantially secure stack. A greater number of tabs and staples such as four may be provided about the end closures with the segments about at least two of the tabs being severable in the manner previously described.

I claim:

1. A tubular carton comprising a tubular wall of fairly stiff flexible sheet material having a predetermined end configuration, end closures of fairly stiff flexible sheet material having a predetermined configuration of a slightly smaller diameter than the inner end configuration of said tubular wall, peripherally spaced tabs about said end closures, said end closures being inserted within said end configuration of said tubular wall with said tabs being bent to lie contiguous to said ends, fastening means securing said tabs within said ends, and at least one of said end closures having a segment severable from its main portion about at least all but one of said tabs whereby said main portion may be swung clear of said tubular wall about its fastened tab after the segments about all of said tabs except said fastened tab are severed for providing access to said carton and may be swung back about said fastened tab into engagement within said tubular wall to reclose said carton.

2. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprises a staple.

3. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tabs are outwardly bent.

4. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein said segment is delineated from said main portion by perforations.

5. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 4 wherein said perforations have a substantially arcuate shape.

6. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 5 wherein a finger hole is provided in said segment to provide means for carrying said carton.

7. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 6 wherein a pair of said finger holes are provided.

8. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ends of said tubular wall have an additional layer of said material for stiffening them.

9. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 8 wherein said additional layer of material has an exposed edge to provide a ledge for providing support under at least one of said end closures.

10. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein three tabs are provided around the peripheries of said end closures.

11. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 10 wherein said severable segments are provided about two of said tabs on one of said end closures whereby it comprises a recloseable lid.

12. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tabs are spaced substantially equidistantly about said lid.

13. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner ends of said tubular walls have projection means substantially aligned with the inserted and fastened position of at least one of said closures, and said projection means and aligned closure being constructed and arranged to engage each other for detachably supporting said closure.

14. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 13, wherein said projection means comprises an inner folded layer of said tubular wall. 

1. A tubular carton comprising a tubular wall of fairly stiff flexible sheet material having a predetermined end configuration, end closures of fairly stiff flexible sheet material having a predetermined configuration of a slightly smaller diameter than the inner end configuration of said tubular wall, peripherally spaced tabS about said end closures, said end closures being inserted within said end configuration of said tubular wall with said tabs being bent to lie contiguous to said ends, fastening means securing said tabs within said ends, and at least one of said end closures having a segment severable from its main portion about at least all but one of said tabs whereby said main portion may be swung clear of said tubular wall about its fastened tab after the segments about all of said tabs except said fastened tab are severed for providing access to said carton and may be swung back about said fastened tab into engagement within said tubular wall to reclose said carton.
 1. A tubular carton comprising a tubular wall of fairly stiff flexible sheet material having a predetermined end configuration, end closures of fairly stiff flexible sheet material having a predetermined configuration of a slightly smaller diameter than the inner end configuration of said tubular wall, peripherally spaced tabS about said end closures, said end closures being inserted within said end configuration of said tubular wall with said tabs being bent to lie contiguous to said ends, fastening means securing said tabs within said ends, and at least one of said end closures having a segment severable from its main portion about at least all but one of said tabs whereby said main portion may be swung clear of said tubular wall about its fastened tab after the segments about all of said tabs except said fastened tab are severed for providing access to said carton and may be swung back about said fastened tab into engagement within said tubular wall to reclose said carton.
 2. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprises a staple.
 3. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tabs are outwardly bent.
 4. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein said segment is delineated from said main portion by perforations.
 5. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 4 wherein said perforations have a substantially arcuate shape.
 6. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 5 wherein a finger hole is provided in said segment to provide means for carrying said carton.
 7. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 6 wherein a pair of said finger holes are provided.
 8. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ends of said tubular wall have an additional layer of said material for stiffening them.
 9. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 8 wherein said additional layer of material has an exposed edge to provide a ledge for providing support under at least one of said end closures.
 10. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1 wherein three tabs are provided around the peripheries of said end closures.
 11. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 10 wherein said severable segments are provided about two of said tabs on one of said end closures whereby it comprises a recloseable lid.
 12. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tabs are spaced substantially equidistantly about said lid.
 13. A tubular carton as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner ends of said tubular walls have projection means substantially aligned with the inserted and fastened position of at least one of said closures, and said projection means and aligned closure being constructed and arranged to engage each other for detachably supporting said closure. 